Coincidence!

[TruthWorthy]

From collected data, work out what the correlational coefficient is.
Then if there appears to be a correlation indicating a relationship, you somehow need to influence one of the variables, or set up a testing situation where you can (this becomes the independant variable) to see the difference in the dependent variable.

[Purple Rabbit]

What does that conclusively say about nature's law acting tomorrow?

You cannot make an absolute claim about that, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Problem_of_induction

The problem was first coined by Hume and has never been solved afterwards. Moreover processes at the quantum level suggests that events happening in our universe are of a fundamental probabilistic nature.

[Tiberius]

We can't

This is why I argue that empirical proofs are not "proofs", but are closer to probabilistic arguments for something. The current level of evidence leans heavily towards explanation X, but one piece of contradictory evidence could mean that explanation Y is correct instead.

Of course, what's more interesting is if our "logic" is actually logical. I mean, there is the argument that logic depends on three laws that are all absolutely true, otherwise everything ends up contradicting itself, but on the other hand, the arguments supporting those laws are all made using the laws in the first place.

Might be an interesting problem to discuss.

[ib.me.ub]

Roll a dice 500 times, and if 499 of them are a 1: so what? It has as much a chance of occurring as any other sequence.

Once again you have out done yourself with an excellent example.

Repeat after me: correlation is not causation

I didn't say it is. I said that coincidences do occur. And my coincidences have a correlation with my thoughts.

---

We can't

This is why I argue that empirical proofs are not "proofs", but are closer to probabilistic arguments for something. The current level of evidence leans heavily towards explanation X, but one piece of contradictory evidence could mean that explanation Y is correct instead.

Of course, what's more interesting is if our "logic" is actually logical. I mean, there is the argument that logic depends on three laws that are all absolutely true, otherwise everything ends up contradicting itself, but on the other hand, the arguments supporting those laws are all made using the laws in the first place.

Might be an interesting problem to discuss.

Now this is very interesting.

[Tiberius]

You can read more about it here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principle_o..._or_denial

Basically, the principle of noncontradiction (i.e that "A is B" and "A is not B" cannot both be true or both be false at the same time) is, itself, neither verifiable or falsifiable, since any proof or disproof must use the law to reach a conclusion.

[Ashes1995]

it could be when two things happen at once, or some people could say it was a coincidence (or a bit of luck) if a blind man shot into the sky and brought down three birds with one bullet

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

(or a bit of luck)

I don't believe in luck due to lack of evidence. It falls under the general heading of a superstition.What people refer to as luck,I call random chance ,which is often aided by an ignorance of statistical probability. (actual odds) Card counters understand probability,that's why casinos ban them.

Random chance answers the question "why ME?"'--the answer is "'why not me?". In daily life, everything has a cause,but not everything has a reason.

[Violet]

it could be when two things happen at once, or some people could say it was a coincidence (or a bit of luck) if a blind man shot into the sky and brought down three birds with one bullet

'Luck' can be "good" or "bad" based on the viewpoint. Whilst the blind man might have felt himself to have had good luck... the three birds would have felt quite differently on the matter

[Ashes1995]

poor birdies

[Edwardo Piet]

What do you think of 'Coincidence'! What is it?

I think that coincidence is when there is something that seems symbolic to the symbol - or perhaps simple! - minded individual that is thought to be miraculous when is in fact completely meaningless and I can't help chuckle at them to myself.

EvF